Author Notes
This is a take on a classic French dish, chicken and crayfish, but may be closer to something you might find in Louisiana too. I rolled the meatloaves into round loaves,(I added a pictur showing what I did) and poached them. As we all know meatloaf isn't pretty. When they are done cooking I roll the hot meatloaf in a saltine cracker and parsley mix to add flavor and pretty it up, and then slice and serve. Try the roll "into a loaf" technique the next time you see a recipe that says stuff into casings.
There are a million ways to serve quinoa. Having greatly enjoyed lentil and other non-meat patties, I thought a version made with red quinoa and sweet cooked shrimp would certainly please. They were so good they didn't last long….I'm very sorry to see them go, but thankfully making a new batch is easy-peasy. Based on reviews at home, I am adding them to the rotation for frequent future appearances.
While crab cakes may be the calling card of Maryland, shrimp salad is a close second. I can't name a single bridal shower I have attended in Maryland that did not serve shrimp salad. When served as a sandwich it is usually served on white bread with lettuce and tomato. Usually the shrimp are whole, I slice mine in half lengthwise as, I find, it makes a more manageable sandwich.
I think it’s safe to say that an everything bagel would be included in my last meal. However, unwilling to eat that amount of carbs very often, I’ve taken to flavoring other, healthier things with the “everything” seasoning.
I'm not sure, but I think only Filipinos combine beans with seafood. Mung bean soup with flakes of smoked fish is a favorite comfort dish, as is this version, made with tiny dried shrimp. It's very dark green, with a texture similar to split pea soup. Most, if not all, the ingredients can nowadays be found in regular grocery stores.
These noodles are made from a very thin egg mixture to which you can add a variety of herbs (basil, tarragon, chives, cilantro). Tossed with earthy, roasted shiitakes and sweet, crisp snow peas, they are a great bed for a host of toppings. Here I have used a sticky, broiled salmon, but shrimp, chicken or even just a pile of vegetables would also be great. And as the mirin and soy just lend a bit of sweet and salty, these noodles do not have to be strictly Asian. Don't be alarmed by the amount of oil as you do not use it all for this recipe.
Salmon pasta is one of our family favorites. It combines simple ingredients and techniques, yet the dish feels sophisticated and complex. The anchovies lend depth, and the lemon perfumes and brightens the dish. This recipe is adapted from my lovely sister-in-law, Simona. She grew up in Rome and cooked in restaurants in the Italian mountains. Simona lives in the States now and she's taught me so much about great food and home cooking.
At my mother's local farmers market in Sarasota, Florida, is a fisherman who sells the best shrimp I've ever tasted. This week, she bought a boatload of them to celebrate the start of a week-long family vacation. Cobbling together some other ingredients my mother had around -- basil from her herb pots, almonds from her freezer, the steady supply of vidalia onions in her fridge -- my mother, brother, one of my sisters, and I dreamed up and then cooked up this risotto. It's the kind of dish that comes together at the end. Eight adults and six kids all ate happily. A bittersweet nod to the vulnerable bounty of the Gulf.
This recipe is from my neighbor Mrs. Withington, who in turn got it from another neighbor. She brings it to our house for a Thanksgiving appetizer, along with pimento cheese and Fritos. They might not have been what the Pilgrims ate, but they are delicious—plus easily made ahead of time, and a crowd-pleaser.
This recipe was inspired by a dinner I had at The James Beard House. I was amazed at the melt-in-your-mouth feel of the salmon and just had to figure out how this texture and look was created. It appears raw, but it's completely cooked! The key is to cook it at a very low temperature for approximately 20 minutes (however, each oven is different).
This one-pot of savory goodness doesn't take much time to prepare, and it can be eaten warm or cold. This recipe's roots place it in North Africa, but it is simple to prepare and oh-so delicious. The preserved lemon adds a fantastic, somewhat zippy, quality. No need for salt here with the satiny lemon and the briny olives. Dig in
Curry noodles are a favorite food. I know everything is my favorite food, but Thai street food, especially the kind sold off a boat floating dock side, has to be really good food. A big batch of sauteed Asian greens would be a nice side.
This is quite an ingenious dish: You can prepare these little paper packages earlier in the day and simply bake them right before serving. If you can't find the exact shellfish typical of the Mediterranean, don't worry. Ask your trusted fishmonger for some advice on what is good and in season and substitute as you please. Linguine and short pasta shapes also work well in place of spaghetti.
Think of this as a fresh take on pasta salad. . . an elegant side to a summer buffet or an entree in itself. It derives from one of my favorite comfort foods - one I don’t make often: shrimp and grits. Shrimp and grits - Charleston-style - is a heaven-sent dish of creamy, buttery, cheesy goodness, topped with a spicy shrimp “gravy.”
I love the indulgent combination of shrimp and chorizo. The rich spiciness of the chorizo is a natural complement to the sweet shrimp. Background notes of smoked paprika, fresh thyme, and minced shallot round out the dish. If you want to get creative, add a handful of hearty greens to the stew before serving, or crack a couple of eggs into the stew and poach them along with the shrimp.
